What should I do? Serious rust problems...
#1
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
iTrader: (7)
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Belfast
Posts: 2,999
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've been wanting to get a little bubble repaired on my rear quarter (97 UK Turbo) for a while now and decided to pop the bumper off for a better look at it. To my horror I keep finding more and more rust to the extent that I need to extensively repair or replace both quarters. Also the strut towers have rusted through to the boot. I'm honestly gutted..... Anyone else attempted this repair? I don't want to plough a stack of cash in to a 17 year old car. Saying that, I've spent a small fortune on Brembos, ESL and various other repairs and upgrades.
#3
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
iTrader: (7)
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Belfast
Posts: 2,999
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It's gonna be a beast of a job and I'm sure it'll cost plenty too. I can do all welding myself as I have everything to do that. Are new quarters still available though?
Trending Topics
#8
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
iTrader: (7)
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Belfast
Posts: 2,999
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hmm, good point. I've organised a place to get it dry stored from the weekend onwards. Gonna strip it all out and see what the score is then. Hopefully I can get at it from inside the arch. I'd hate to be cutting the whole quarter out.
#12
Unmapped 12.4s @ 105
iTrader: (29)
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Newcastle. 330bhp-289lb/ft @ 1bar boost - 12.4s @ 105mph
Posts: 11,776
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
4 Posts
New rear quarter panels are available, only from Subaru though. There's no pattern part available.
Someone on here said they were about £350 ish each recently.
Someone on here said they were about £350 ish each recently.
#13
#18
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (1)
Make sure you take loads of photos and make it a proper thread as there is a lot of people in the same postion as yourself
Mine is going into a specialist in the autumn for "phase two ""
My guy isn't convinced by he wing method and wants to do his traditional methods of cutting away and replacing with new metal so it would be great to see how you get in with it
Mine is going into a specialist in the autumn for "phase two ""
My guy isn't convinced by he wing method and wants to do his traditional methods of cutting away and replacing with new metal so it would be great to see how you get in with it
#23
Scooby Newbie
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Newcastle
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I am in the middle of sorting out some sill repairs on a 99 turbo 2000, once i get the car in the garage i am looking at stripping the back bumper and rear wheels off yo see the extent of my rust.
Looking in the boot the arches look in real good condition but unil i get underneath and have a good look i guess there is no twlling what the damage could be.
I am in the north east, if anyone local has or knows of any good business for sill/rust repair let me know. I have called R and A autobodies in blaydon as i have heard good things about them from people in my position so they are going to have a look at the kob.
But any pics you have would be a help so i can see what i am neesing to get a good look at.
Looking in the boot the arches look in real good condition but unil i get underneath and have a good look i guess there is no twlling what the damage could be.
I am in the north east, if anyone local has or knows of any good business for sill/rust repair let me know. I have called R and A autobodies in blaydon as i have heard good things about them from people in my position so they are going to have a look at the kob.
But any pics you have would be a help so i can see what i am neesing to get a good look at.
#24
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
iTrader: (7)
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Belfast
Posts: 2,999
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Just got a price from Eastwood Motors here in Northern Ireland, £700+VAT for both new rear quarter panels. That being the worst case I suppose.
I'll take a few pictures of what I can once I start cleaning and cutting parts out. It's not gonna be an easy job by any means. I doubt £1500 would cover having new quarters fitted and painted. Not to mention all the other rusty parts that can't be seen.
Sick as a dog.......
I'll take a few pictures of what I can once I start cleaning and cutting parts out. It's not gonna be an easy job by any means. I doubt £1500 would cover having new quarters fitted and painted. Not to mention all the other rusty parts that can't be seen.
Sick as a dog.......
#25
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (6)
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Colchester
Posts: 665
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yea this is the sole main issue as I see it especially for us UK turbo owners in terms of keeping these cars going, from what I've read it's generally agreed that the main starting point is up in the strut tower due to lack of undersealing, eventually becoming visible on the arch lip, I'd of thought the vast majority of impreza's have only ever had the outer arch treated rather than the real roots of the issue being sorted which by now has very much come to the fore.
Of course sills are next and are often holed, along with bumper bars falling to bits, and front wings rusting if the cars been ran without mudguards. Really for any classic owner now removal of bumpers and sideskirts for inspection should be at least an annual job. And all wheel arch housings should be sanded right back and re-treated/sealed as preventive maintenance, inner wings should be treated as best as possible from inside the boot, and if your lucky enough to have solid outer strut towers then the rear shocks should be dropped and the area treated meticulously.
In your case although I know it's not great to hear as we all become attached to our cars (I'm also a 97' UK Turbo owner), I would have to say imo the best option for you has to be to take your nice bits off, sell the car on and start your search for a rust free one knowing what you know now, finding a UK car will be seriously hard but less so on an import, you can then refit your nice bits to your new solid base car.
Unfortunately UK turbos in many cases just aren't worth repairing, even repaired I doubt you could sell it for what the repairs would have actually cost you not to mention the price paid for the car in the first place, to add to this your always taking the gamble as with any bodywork that the job you pay for is a good one, especially with extensive repairs such as this so there's potential for a total nightmare.
I guess the bottom line is you could end up running around in a repaired UK turbo which owes you the same as what an original rust free STi/Type R would have set you back with nothing like the re-sale value.
However if of course money or future value doesn't concern you too much then you can ignore most of the above lol
Of course sills are next and are often holed, along with bumper bars falling to bits, and front wings rusting if the cars been ran without mudguards. Really for any classic owner now removal of bumpers and sideskirts for inspection should be at least an annual job. And all wheel arch housings should be sanded right back and re-treated/sealed as preventive maintenance, inner wings should be treated as best as possible from inside the boot, and if your lucky enough to have solid outer strut towers then the rear shocks should be dropped and the area treated meticulously.
In your case although I know it's not great to hear as we all become attached to our cars (I'm also a 97' UK Turbo owner), I would have to say imo the best option for you has to be to take your nice bits off, sell the car on and start your search for a rust free one knowing what you know now, finding a UK car will be seriously hard but less so on an import, you can then refit your nice bits to your new solid base car.
Unfortunately UK turbos in many cases just aren't worth repairing, even repaired I doubt you could sell it for what the repairs would have actually cost you not to mention the price paid for the car in the first place, to add to this your always taking the gamble as with any bodywork that the job you pay for is a good one, especially with extensive repairs such as this so there's potential for a total nightmare.
I guess the bottom line is you could end up running around in a repaired UK turbo which owes you the same as what an original rust free STi/Type R would have set you back with nothing like the re-sale value.
However if of course money or future value doesn't concern you too much then you can ignore most of the above lol
#27
Scooby Newbie
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Newcastle
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
328Isport: after reading the section in regards to the rear strut towers, like i mentioned when i pulled back the boot liner the acount arch as you see it in the boot is immaculate.
So i presume the actual top of the tower could potentially have rust issues once the strut is dropped out fo the tower? also not to say that the lip on the inner arch liner hasn't siffered with the water sitting in the lip over the years?
Sorry to sound a bit dim just want to make sure am getting this right as i will be having a good look over mine at the weeked.
Also i understand the inner and outer sills are an issue, on inspection of mine it seems the outer sills that are thye issue but again without a good look i am just guessing that they aren't from memory.
Any ideas on what i could be looking at to have this work done as once it is done i want the car waxoyl'd and undersealed too, and as alot of people have said i do not want to be hoying good mmkoney after bad as the car needs new brakes all round tax and MOT too so i am going tpo be into the car a good few hundred at that point which isn't a massive issue as the price i ahve paid for the car with the milege and overall condition etc.
Just want to make sure what i am doing is a good idea!
cheers again lads for any help it is greatly appreciated ... sorry i don't mean to hijack anyones thread :-)
So i presume the actual top of the tower could potentially have rust issues once the strut is dropped out fo the tower? also not to say that the lip on the inner arch liner hasn't siffered with the water sitting in the lip over the years?
Sorry to sound a bit dim just want to make sure am getting this right as i will be having a good look over mine at the weeked.
Also i understand the inner and outer sills are an issue, on inspection of mine it seems the outer sills that are thye issue but again without a good look i am just guessing that they aren't from memory.
Any ideas on what i could be looking at to have this work done as once it is done i want the car waxoyl'd and undersealed too, and as alot of people have said i do not want to be hoying good mmkoney after bad as the car needs new brakes all round tax and MOT too so i am going tpo be into the car a good few hundred at that point which isn't a massive issue as the price i ahve paid for the car with the milege and overall condition etc.
Just want to make sure what i am doing is a good idea!
cheers again lads for any help it is greatly appreciated ... sorry i don't mean to hijack anyones thread :-)
#28
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Brecon, Mid Wales
Posts: 1,909
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Have a look at this thread here;
https://www.scoobynet.com/styling-36...ty-arches.html
I went over to H&G Bodyshop last week as I was working not far away, spoke to Guy (Kurt's father) , very nice chap, no bull and knew what he was talking about. I've got to forward him some more, detailed photos of my rust issues, and hopefully will get a price back and make a decision on when to do it. If I go ahead, ill photograph the process (with guys permission) and add it onto the thread.
Hope this helps.
https://www.scoobynet.com/styling-36...ty-arches.html
I went over to H&G Bodyshop last week as I was working not far away, spoke to Guy (Kurt's father) , very nice chap, no bull and knew what he was talking about. I've got to forward him some more, detailed photos of my rust issues, and hopefully will get a price back and make a decision on when to do it. If I go ahead, ill photograph the process (with guys permission) and add it onto the thread.
Hope this helps.
#29
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
iTrader: (7)
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Belfast
Posts: 2,999
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for the replies guys. I've decided to have a go at fixing it instead of breaking and scrapping it. I was seriously pissed off at it all before.
Started cutting a few rusty bits off tonight and started to make a piece to install.
I'm going to replace bad parts and treat any parts that are still reasonably intact with rust converter. Once that's all done, everything will get cleaned and a load of seam sealer applied. Everything then painted and that's it. If I get a year or 2 out of it then happy days. There's no point spending a load of cash on a UK Turbo as stated before.
Started cutting a few rusty bits off tonight and started to make a piece to install.
I'm going to replace bad parts and treat any parts that are still reasonably intact with rust converter. Once that's all done, everything will get cleaned and a load of seam sealer applied. Everything then painted and that's it. If I get a year or 2 out of it then happy days. There's no point spending a load of cash on a UK Turbo as stated before.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Mattybr5@MB Developments
Full Cars Breaking For Spares
28
28 December 2015 11:07 PM
Mattybr5@MB Developments
Full Cars Breaking For Spares
12
18 November 2015 07:03 AM
Sub-Subaru
General Technical
1
28 September 2015 12:47 PM